Grizzlies glide through to volleyball semifinals

Kurt Johnson, The Press TribuneGranite Bay's Mike Naki is the Press Tribune boys volleyball player of the year.

In another easy victory the Grizzlies cruised past Jesuit in the quarterfinal game of the Sac-Joaquin Section volleyball playoffs in Granite Bay. The Grizzlies had the clear advantage from the start of the first game.
Coach Bruce Honberger’s squad continues its impressive season into the postseason, winning 25-18, 25-14, 25-19. Jesuit led just once at the start of the second game (2-0) but was shut down quickly by a well-oiled Grizzly squad.
“We knew if we could control Adam Troy (of Jesuit) and make him play only averagely then we were going to win,” said Honberger. “We’re playing well right now, but we need Jack Powell to play better than he did.”
Powell, who has been battling a back injury for most of the season, had two aces and three kills.
Mike Naki set a Granite Bay record going a perfect 12 for 12 on attempted kills. He also had two aces on seven serves and was the driving force for the team. He was all over the court and controlled the organization of his team.
“I was kind of a ball hog in this game,” Naki said. “I’ve been trying to break that record for four years and finally get on the record board.”
On the right side of the court Tom Patterson threw down nine kills of an attempted 14. Patterson and Mason Jaynes, with six kills and an ace, followed Naki’s lead.
The Grizzlies look to continue their streak when they face Placer on Tuesday in Granite Bay. The last match between the two teams was a quick 3-0 win for Granite Bay.
Honberger and Naki expressed confidence in their team’s readiness to face Placer in the semifinal round.
“We’ve beaten Placer before,” said Honberger. “So now it’s just a matter of doing it again.”
Tuesday’s match begins at 7 p.m. in the gym at Granite Bay, and the winner earns a spot in the section title game Thursday night at Jesuit.